GIURGIULESTI INTERNATIONAL FREE PORT CELEBRATES DANUBE DAY
29.06.2018

On Friday, 29th of June Moldova joined in celebrating the Danube Day in Giurgiulesti. As part of the event Danube Logistics, the general investor and operator of Giurgiulesti International Free Port, organized a picnic reception overlooking the Danube at the port premises.

Traditionally, over 80 Moldovan and international guests seized this beautiful occasion to feel the true spirit of Danube which connects citizens and businesses from 10 European countries and provides Moldova with direct access to the Black Sea. Among the honorable guests were Ms. Angela Sax, president of EBRD office to Moldova, Ms. Lucy Joyce, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Moldova, Dr. Julia Monar, the Ambassador of Germany to Moldova and Antonio Castillo, head of EIB office to Moldova. Representatives of local and central authorities together with mayors of the nearby villages where happy to join on this wonderful occasion Thomas Moser, director general of Danube Logistics SRL.

Guests of the event enjoyed the amazing view on Danube River relishing flavorous wines from Vinaria din Vale and refreshing drinks provided by Coca Cola Company. As well as last year „Bunica beats the drum” from Valeni was happy to perform traditional Moldovian songs along with her husband and an orchestra band from Cahul.

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23.01.2024
TRANSHIPMENT VOLUMES OF GIURGIULESTI INTERNATIONAL FREE PORT CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN 2023

Cargo transhipment volumes via Giurgiulești International Free Port (GIFP) increased from 1.83 million tons in 2022 by 18.6% to a new record of 2.17 million tons in 2023. In addition, the number of transhipped containers reached an all-time high of 8,460 units (8,646 TEU).

 

The new record high was driven mainly by stronger exports of grains and seeds, which hiked by 55% last year reaching 889 thousand tons and corresponding to a share of 41% of total cargo volumes. The import of petroleum products slightly increased by 4% resulting in a transhipment volume of 599 thousand tons comprising 28% of GIFP volumes. The increase in 2023 was further supported by sunflower oil exports growing by 26% year-on-year amounting to 248 thousand tons. Further, the import of construction materials increased by 10% to 195 thousand tons, and the import of fertilizer in big bags, dry bulk and liquid bulk continued to develop positively with an increase of 48% reaching a volume of 119 thousand tons. Decreases are recorded for coal imports and scrap metal exports.

 

Mathias von Tucher, General Director of Danube Logistics SRL, commented: “While the 2023 volumes include some transhipment volumes for and from Ukraine, in our future plans we focus on satisfying the needs of Moldovan importers and exporters. During the last two years we have increased our staff by 40% and we plan to keep it on this level. The strong increase of grain exports is mainly a result of the recent investments made in new grain storage facilities in the port. In order to increase the grain loading capacity at our cargo terminal we procured a high-capacity shiploader. At the same time, we finalize the preparation for the construction of a new universal berth with the aim to increase the transshipment capacity for dry bulk, general cargo and containers by 600 thousand tons annually. In parallel we plan to increase the efficiency by increasing the level of automatization at the liquid bulk railway terminal and digitalization of terminal processes. The aim is better service for Moldovan clients by higher available capacity and efficiency.”

 

Danube Logistics SRL is the general investor and operator of Giurgiulești International Free Port, the main sea-river port of the Republic of Moldova. Since 2005 Danube Logistics has developed the port into one of the most successful ports on the river Danube facilitating trade of Moldovan companies with international markets. Danube Logistics SRL is wholly owned by the Dutch company Danube Logistics Holding BV. The sole ultimate owner of the Danube Logistics group of companies is the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

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12.10.2023
INTERVIEW - GIFP: MOLDOVA'S VITAL CONNECTION TO INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

Our General Director Mathias von Tucher offered an interview for the magazine Moldova în Progres on the vital role of GIFP as a connection to international markets (published in Moldova în Progres, issue 42).

 

GIFP: MOLDOVA’S VITAL CONNECTION TO INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

 

MP: What are the main activities of Giurgiulesti International Free Port?

GIFP is a strategically important logistics hub providing Moldovan importers and exporters with transhipment and warehousing services with access to a trimodal transport infrastructure. The port is located on the maritime section of the Danube river and allows the entry of river barges and seagoing vessels up to 7 m draught and vessels up to 10,000 tons respectively.

At the moment, GIFP offers transhipment services at four terminals: the import of petroleum products and liquid fertilizers as well as the export of sunflower oil at the oil terminal with a tank farm capacity of 45,000 tons for fuel, the export of grain and seeds at two grain terminals and a general cargo and container terminal where a broad range of various goods are transhipped. To these belong the import of coal, fertilizer, steel and various construction materials such sand, stones and gravel, and the export of again grain, DDGS and scrap metal.

In addition, the port is well connected with broad and narrow gauge railway lines. For example, there is a regular block train connection for transportation of containers between Giurgiulesti and the DPW container terminal in Constanta which helps to reduce the truck traffic and avoids extensive waiting times at the borders.

 

MP: How does the port compare with other ports in the region?

Even before the war in Ukraine in 2021 the transhipment volume of Giurgiulesti International Free Port amounted to more than 1.4 M tons of cargo which put the port even on the third rank of the Danube ports. Of course, with the beginning of the war the Ukrainian Danube ports multiplied their transhipment volumes while Giurgiulesti’s transhipment volume increased by 30% to more than 1.8 M tons in 2022, still ranking as number 4 of the Danube port. In the first half of 2023 we register a further growth of 6% surpassing 1 M tons of cargo transhipment. Although the physical extension of the shore line is restricted by the borders of Romania and Ukraine Giurgiulesti International Free Port is designed to satisfy entirely the needs of the Rep. of Moldova.

 

MP: How does the business park area of GIFP develop?

During the last few years, we have seen a substantial increase in investments in particular for the construction of grain storage facilities based on the sublease agreements we have with some of the largest Moldovan grain traders. Further companies have expressed interest in leasing GIFP land. Unfortunately, the current available territory is limited and we are in discussions with the government to expand the GIFP territory as provided for in the Host Investment Agreement.

 

MP: What is the impact of the war in Ukraine on the port operations, and how do you evaluate the recent attacks on the Ukrainian Danube ports?

The war in neighbouring Ukraine has massively changed the supply chains in the region and the Danube corridor became a major lifeline for Ukraine Giurgiulesti contributes to Ukrainian supply chains by exporting Ukrainian grain and sunflower oil and importing fuel for further transportation to Ukraine even when the volumes remain comparatively small. Nevertheless, in order to handle the additional volumes Danube Logistics ramped up its personnel by more than 25% and undertook several measures to extend the capacities of its services.

Of course, the recent attacks on the neighbouring port of Reni are worrying. Despite the substantial damages in Ukrainian Danube ports’ infrastructure the shipping activities between the Danube river ports and the Black Sea continue as usual. At the same time Ukraine, Moldova and Romania seek ways to further optimize the logistic connections. Supported by the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes Initiative the European Commission identifies bottlenecks and tries to reduce operational and administrative barriers.

 

MP: What is the contribution of Giurgiulesti International Free Port to the Moldovan economy?

First of all, Danube Logistics and other companies holding resident status in GIFP have invested more than USD 130 M into the port infrastructure and facilities. These investments enabled Moldovan businesses to import and export goods directly to and from Moldova without being dependent on using the ports of neighbourhood countries resulting in lower prices for imported goods and increased competitiveness of Moldovan exports. This advantage becomes even more visible in crisis situations as we currently experience when the Ukrainian ports are either closed or completely loaded due to the war. Second, the port brings a major contribution to the labour market with 650 jobs offered by Danube Logistics together with the resident companies of the port, which provide stable monthly incomes for the population of the southern part of the country. Third, Danube Logistics pays annual taxes and contributions of about 20 million lei to the state budget of Moldova, and in addition, there are taxes and fees paid by all other port residents. Overall, Moldova greatly benefits without having had the necessity to undertake own investments into the port.

 

MP: What are the transport destinations to/from the port?

The most important trading partner is Romania. The main reason is that in regard to many types of goods the port of Constanta is a main hub and Giurgiulesti a satellite port. For example, there are regular deliveries of fuel and coal from Constanta. Further, there are deliveries of construction material and in particular of aggregates from Romania to Giurgiulesti. Other important countries of origin are Turkey for fuel and Georgia for fertilizer. The main direct export destinations for grain on maritime vessels are North Africa, in particular Egypt, and the Near East, or via inland barges to Constanta for transhipment into large size vessels. Sunflower oil is usually directly delivered to Italy, Spain and Portugal. Scrap metal and DDGS are usually exported to Turkey.

 

MP: Are there any relations with the Italian business community?

There are not many direct trade flows between Moldova and Italia via Giurgiulesti International Free Port. As an example, there are regular deliveries of sunflower oil on maritime vessels to the port of Ravenna, and from time to time delivers of grain to Italian ports. There is potential to extend the business relations for example by using containerized cargo especially from Southern ports of Italy to Moldova. I also can imagine that Italian producers in Moldova would import raw materials or semifinished goods in containers via Giurgiulesti.

 

MP: What are the upcoming development plans for the port?

One of our major projects for the port is the construction of a new terminal, because the demand for transhipment operations is so high that we are already working at full capacity at some terminals. We plan to complete the technical planning of the new terminal during the next few weeks and to start the tendering of construction works in autumn. We hope the new terminal will be completed by the end of 2024 in order to expand our annual transhipment capacity by an additional 700,000 tonnes of cargo.

 

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05.10.2023
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER VLADIMIR BOLEA AND FEDERAL MINISTER FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE OF GERMANY CEM ÖZDEMIR VISIT GIFP

Today we had the honour of hosting a meeting of Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea with Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture of Germany Cem Özdemir, where we presented the operational capacities of Giurgiulesti International Free Port and discussed the current challenges in the export of agricultural products from Moldova.

 

We also had discussions on the theme of the day with the German Ambassador in Chisinau Margret Uebber, representatives from the German Agribusiness Alliance and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

 

The discussions focused on issues related to the export of agricultural products on waterways, transhipment mechanisms and the authorities’ interest in streamlining and modernising port operations.

 

During the visit to GIFP, officials familiarised themselves with the port infrastructure and assessed the investments needed to increase agricultural cargo traffic as part of ongoing joint efforts to support Moldovan farmers.

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29.06.2023
MINISTER OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT VISIT GIURGIULESTI INTERNATIONAL FREE PORT ON THE OCCASION OF THE DANUBE DAY

Danube Logistics has resumed the tradition of celebrating the Danube Day in Giurgiulești International Free Port (GIFP) on 29 June. The event gathered delegations from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development headed by Minister Lilia Dabija and the Ministry of Environment led by Minister Iordanca-Rodica Iordanov, the General Consul of Romania in Cahul Ms. Anca Corfu, the mayor of Giurgiulești village Ms. Tatiana Galateanu, representatives of regional and local authorities, investors in GIFP business park and further business stakeholders in the region.

 

The Danube Day refers to the anniversary of the signing of the Danube River Protection Convention which was concluded in 1994. On this day all 14 countries of the Danube River basin comprising about 80 million people celebrate the Danube, the rivers that flow into it and their vital role in providing water, food, power, recreation, livelihoods and transport. Under the umbrella of this year’s theme of the Danube Day “Keep the Danube blue” Danube Logistics explained to the Minister of Environment activities and measures undertaken by the port in order to protect the environment and to keep the Danube and Prut rivers clean.

 

Prior to the celebration, in a joint meeting with delegations from both the Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Environment Danube Logistics presented the necessity to extend the transshipment capacities of GIFP. The existing general cargo terminal is used to capacity and Moldovan importers and exporters as well as investors of GIFP business park request additional transshipment capacities. Danube Logistics plans to construct and operate a new universal berth which permits calls of vessel with a draft of up to 7 m. The envisaged start of operation is in the second half of 2024. General Director Mathias von Tucher emphasized that “although Moldova only has around 500 m shore line to the Danube river, of a total length of 2850 km, the operation of a port at this location is a vital infrastructure for the Republic of Moldova, and we want to have it economically efficient and environmentally friendly”.

 

Danube Logistics is the general investor and operator of Giurgiulesti International Free Port, the main sea-river port of the Republic of Moldova. Since 2005 Danube Logistics has developed the port into one of the most successful ports on the Danube River facilitating trade of Moldovan companies with international markets. Danube Logistics SRL is wholly owned by the Dutch company Danube Logistics Holding BV. The sole ultimate owner of the Danube Logistics group of companies is the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

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